Tarragon
TAIR-uh-gon
Artemisia dracunculus
Sweet, anise, grassy, delicate.
What it is
Tarragon is the slender leaf of Artemisia dracunculus, an herb with a sweet, grassy, anise-like flavor that is central to French cooking. It is one of the fines herbes and the defining note of bearnaise sauce, and it pairs beautifully with chicken, fish, eggs, and vinegar. French tarragon is the prized culinary type; the so-called Russian tarragon is coarser and far less aromatic, so the source matters. Fresh tarragon is delicate and best added near the end of cooking, since its bright anise note fades with heat and with drying.
What it pairs with
Goes wrong with: robust dishes that would bury it.
Common in French cooking.
Whole vs ground
Tarragon is a fresh herb, best added near the end. Dried tarragon keeps some flavor but loses the bright anise lift of the fresh leaves.
How to handle it
Stir chopped fresh leaves into sauces and dressings off the heat. Tarragon infuses vinegar well and is gentle, so it can be used generously.
Storage
Keep fresh tarragon wrapped and chilled for a few days, or steep it in vinegar to preserve the flavor.
Buying note
Seek out French tarragon, not Russian, which has little aroma. Fresh leaves should be bright and supple.
Classic dishes
bearnaise sauce, fines herbes, chicken tarragon, tarragon vinegar.
Out of tarragon? Substitutes
No substitute is exact. These are the closest by flavor behavior, with the ratio to start from and how the result will differ.
| Use instead | Ratio | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| a little chervil or fresh fennel | to taste | shares the anise note, milder |
| a pinch of anise seed plus parsley | use sparingly | covers the licorice note, not the fresh herb |
One odd thing
French tarragon is grown from cuttings rather than seed, because it rarely sets viable seed of its own.